On Friday night I just knew he could do it. Cadel just looked so darned strong clawing his way back after the mechanical.

My original plan was to do a 'permanent' 200 km solo brevet in the WA wheat belt starting at 7:00AM about an hours drive from Perth.Friday's stage put paid to that, I just had to stay up and watch a fantastic night's racing. Anyway, started at 9:15AM instead and during the day I frequently thought about the possibilities for Cadel in the time trial. Just thinking about it spurred me along. Inspiration to go faster*and inspiration to get home faster so that I could ride over to the TDF soiree that I had been invited to. Everyone at the party were very happy and gave Cadel a rousing applause when he stepped onto the podium.

Very proud of Cadel and the guts and composure that he has shown and very happy for him after some frustrating Tours in 2007-2010.

I, like many others no doubt, have sore legs this morning after riding the last three days with you trying to egg you on.... you've done yourself and everyone proud..... repect mate, you've got it......

Just an ol' man, riding an ol' bike.... every hill feels likeAlpe d'Heuz....

What draws me to Cadel is his tenacity and ability to bury himself. Thats what really got me into cycling when I saw him in 2007 in the Tour. A guy laying it all on the line on the world stage. The fact I've seen him lose and blow up makes me appreciate his achievements even more. He not invincible, he's human a hugely determined and gifted one at that.

I don't get overly patriotic about things and I would still support and be inspired by him if he wasn't an Aussie. But the fact he is, and has overcome added adversity in his own profession because of it makes it sweeter.

But whatever his achievements, I like him cause he's a humble and honest guy. I meet him briefly in Sydney after his world champs victory and hes just a normal guy, with an unbelievable amount of determination and superior physiology below the exterior.

And it was by being just that, a champion who inspired his troops to a stunning second place in the team time trial, who won an epic stage himself on a rain-soaked Breton hilltop, who rode constantly near the head of the peloton protected by his own red guard, who bravely defended his chances with spectacular rides through the Alps â€¦ and who then finished it off with an individual time-trial performance worthy of the greatest Tour champions.

They call him 'Cuddles', this Cadel Evans, and you better think twice about going anywhere near his beloved dog. Yep, he's a complicated man is our Cadel, but this year, like every other year, fans across Australia are sacrificing sleep as they pedal every gruelling kilometre of Le Tour with their hero. To help him finally reach the podium in Paris where he belongs, Melbourne musicians Andre Camilleri and Patrick O'Brien have penned their ode to Cadel, 'Let Me Ride'. If you know what's good for you, don't shove a microphone in front of Cadel after he's spent five hours riding up a mountain, just click here for the song, and let Cadel ride ...

From the very first stage when he chased Gilbert down to the TTT. He took control and managed the teams effort. His massive effort on Stage 4 to beat Contador. Holding everything together in the Pyrenees. What was truly amazing was his composure in the Alps, when everything looked like it was going wrong on the road to Galibier he was the only one to take control and in the end that's really the ride that won him the Tour (have to watch that stage again). His ride on the Alpe d'Huez was tactically brilliant did'nt panic with the mechanical and then put the hammer down right at the start to nullify the Schlecks showed he had learned the lessons of the past. Then he showed that he was the strongest of the field by doing a monster ITT. All these things really cement this as a Truly iconic Tour, i've heard it said and i agree that its the best Tour since '89. Congratulations Cadel well deserved.

We are stuck with technology when what we really want is just stuff that works (Douglas Adams)

To acquire immunity to eloquence is of the utmost importance to the citizens of a democracyBertrand RussellMany people feel their lifestyle has a high price, but they're quite cool with that .. as long as somebody ELSE pays the price.

And, well done BMC. I know that he didn't have all the support he could have in the mountains but the way Cadel Evans talked and acted in the last 3 weeks you can see that the BMC team gave him the support anyone needs to win this race. I think the support he got off the bike from his BMC team mates was critical in getting him the win. His attitude and the way he approached the tour was at least partly attributable to this.

Then, on the road he was amazing. His fightbacks on stages 18 and 19 set it up. What an amazing effort for 2 days. Yet he had still retained the energy to ride a brilliant time trial. Now that's good strategy.

This year's tour was amazing too. So much going on, so hard to predict what would happen next.